In a previous Financial Services Flash, we brought to your attention the decision of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida (the “Bankruptcy Court”) in the case ofIn re Tousa. In a decision that raised serious concerns for lenders in the United States, Justice Olson held that the first and second ranking secured lenders of Tousa Inc. (“Tousa”) did not act in good faith and were grossly negligent in providing Tousa with a secured loan less than six months before Tousa filed for bankruptcy.
For over 30 years, most bankruptcy courts have approved plans where the secured lender “gifts” a distribution to a junior class in order to obtain a consensual plan. These courts note that the distribution is from the secured lender’s property (not estate property) and the secured lender can do what it wants with its own property.
In re TOUSA, Inc., Nos. 10-60017-CIV/Gold, 10- 61478, 10-62032, 10-62035, and 10-62037 Slip Op. (S.D. Fla. Feb. 11, 2011)
CASE SNAPSHOT
© 2011 Bloomberg Finance L.P. All rights reserved. Originally published by Bloomberg Finance L.P. in the Vol. 5, No. 12 edition of the Bloomberg Law Reports—Bankruptcy Law. Reprinted with permission. Bloomberg Law Reports® is a registered trademark and service mark of Bloomberg Finance L.P.
REGEN CAPITAL I, INC. v. UAL CORP. (February 18, 2011)
Background
On March 15th, the FDIC published for comment a proposed rule that would establish the priority of payments to creditors when the FDIC acts as liquidator for a failed non-bank financial institution. The proposal also would establish the procedures for filing a claim with the receiver and clarifies the receiver's clawback authority. Comments should be submitted within 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, which is expected during the week of March 21.
On March 16, 2011, a Rhode Island Superior Court heard arguments on whether Rhode Island's solvent restructuring statute violates the Contracts Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The case stems from a global commutation plan developed pursuant to this statute by GTE Reinsurance Company Limited in order to settle all of its obligations under various property and casualty risks reinsured by GTE Re decades ago. Critics contend that the Rhode Island law enables policies and contracts to be modified without policyholder consent in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
In its continued effort to implement its authority to resolve “covered financial companies” under Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), on March 15, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) approved the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Implementing Certain Orderly Liquidation Authority Provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Proposed Rules”).